AWWA WSC61413

The Erie County Water Authority (ECWA) and Mohawk Valley Water Authority (MVWA) have each recognized that a proactive approach toward the use of a water quality surveillance system is necessary, but must reliably identify contamination events in source water and distribution systems in time to allow an effective response to limit exposure. Although similar in concept, each utility has taken a different direction toward water quality surveillance. This paper is a continuation and comparison of individual case studies presented by both New York State Water Authorities at the 2002, 2003 and 2004 Water Quality Technology Conferences and the 2003 and 2004 Water Security Congresses. It examines the equipment and methods chosen by each as they continue to develop a surveillance system to monitor water quality. The case studies evaluate each utility's approach and compare technologies, including several toxicity testing methods utilizing photosynthetic enzyme complexes (PECs), luminescent bacteria and Daphnia magna and the installation and operation of an on-line monitoring system. The approach and methods used at each Authority, along with the problems encountered and lessons learned, are presented and compared. The study includes an evaluation of the reliability of the methods used and the data generated along with the approaches adopted by MVWA and ECWA to interpret the data generated by the early warning system. Includes 14 references.